Jaguars Long-Time OL Tyler Shatley Is Ready for His Chance
Jacksonville Jaguars center Tyler Shatley is far from being a new face on the offensive line -- even if 2022 is the first offseason he has entered as a starter.
No Jaguars player has been in Jacksonville longer than Shatley, who his entering his ninth season with the team. Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2014, Shatley has seen it all in Jacksonville. The Gus Bradley era. The 2017 season and Tom Coughlin regime. And, of course, the Urban Meyer train wreck. Shatley is the only Jaguar who has seen it all.
But even with Shatley's longevity in Jacksonville, 2022 is quite the change in circumstances for him. For the first time in his career, Shatley is entering the offseason a starter, having taken 100% of the first-team reps at center in Tuesday's OTA practice.
Shatley has appeared in 114 career games for the Jaguars, starting 33 in the process. But he has always been a backup -- mostly former center Brandon Linder's backup. Now, the times have changed. Now, Shatley is expected to not just be a starter, but to be a leader on Jacksonville's offensive line.
"It means a lot," Shatley told Jaguar Report after Tuesday's practice.
"I've been here a while. It's nice to finally kind of step into that role. I had a lot of time to learn behind Brandon and see how he did it and, you know, just try to put all that to work to get something going this year."
Shatley is far from a new face up front in Jacksonville. In many ways, Shatley was the 1B to Linder's 1A at center in recent years. While Linder was Jacksonville's most experienced and highest-paid offensive lineman, he did struggle with injuries, leading to Shatley starting 18 games the last two seasons, including eight last year.
Shatley has starting experience, so stepping into a role with the first-team offense isn't foreign to him. But for the first season in his career, he isn't entering minicamp and OTAs as a key depth member. Instead, he is one of the most important pieces of the offense as Linder's retirement and the expiring contracts of veterans A.J. Cann and Andrew Norwell have left him alone with a host of younger Jaguars.
"The guys that I came in with, you know, [Linder] and AJ Cann being gone, Norwell being gone, these guys have been here for a while. It's definitely a change of -- it's just a change of scenery. But love all the guys, we got a great room, so we're not gonna miss a beat," Shatley said. "But it is different, you know, not seeing those familiar faces."
Among the faces that Shatley will have to adjust the most to not seeing is Linder's. The two grew close over the last near-decade, especially with Shatley being Linder's direct backup and frequently called upon to step into his role.
But Shatley has seen the kind of player and Linder was for the Jaguars' offense. He has seen why he was such a revered member of the franchise and just a key part of the offensive line. And he has seen all the work Linder put in to get there, giving him full knowledge of what it takes.
"It helped a lot. And as close as Brandon and I were, you know, we came in together, we talked a lot outside of football and stuff," Shatley said.
"So I had a good idea kind of what was going through his mind and how he handled certain things and saw certain things. So you know, that's a good kind of springboard for me."
The two still talk, with Shatley noting they spoke last week. And while Linder is relishing in trading his fishing stories to Shatley, the two are able to use each other as support entering Shatley's upcoming season as starter.
"I'm just happy for him that he's in a good spot. Like I said, I call him still. And it's nice that I still have that and him being so fresh out of the game, it's not some guy that plays you know, like, when they're blocking with their elbows," Shatley laughed. "He knows what it's like."
Playing on one side of Shatley this year will be free agent right guard and former Washington Commander Pro Bowler and All-Pro Brandon Scherff. On the other side, 2020 fourth-round pick Ben Bartch is the leader to start at left guard, who is also entering his first offseason as a starter. Behind Shatley on the depth chart will be third-round pick Luke Fortner, who the Jaguars drafted at No. 65 overall.
Scherff, of course, knows what it takes to succeed at the NFL level. He is arguably the top player on Jacksonville's entire roster entering 2022. But for Bartch and Fortner, Shatley's experience and leadership in the middle of the offensive line could be key.
"I think both of them are great players. You know, Ben, he's played, he's already stepped in, he's in a kind of his feet dipped in the fire a little bit already. So I have complete confidence in him," Shatley said.
"And Luke, I know, I've watched some of his -- I've watched him play and I mean, he's really progressing. He's gonna be a great player. He is real smart, an athletic guy. He moves like I wish I could. I think both of them have, you know, really, really bright futures ahead."
Aside from his fellow linemen, there is one other offensive player who is clearly going to lean on Shatley: second-year quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The quarterback-center relationship is key for any team, let alone one with a young quarterback entering his second NFL season.
“It’s really everything," Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said this week.
"There’s a lot of communication up front and it starts with the center and [Tyler] Shat[ley]’s done a nice job with that and he and Trevor [Lawrence] being on the same page with the communication part of it. It’s good to have that veteran guy plus [he’s] someone Luke [Fortner] can look up to and learn from.”
Shatley understands the importance of that relationship, and it was one him and Lawrence were able to begin to forge last year. Not only did Shatley start his fair share of games with Lawrence under center, but the two got plenty of reps together in training camp as Meyer and the Jaguars' staff had Lawrence split first-team reps with former quarterback Gardner Minshew.
"It's very important. And, you know, we've kind of in the past year, just kind of me and Brandon are kind of switching in and out, and this has been the first years it's just been me and Trevor," Shatley said.
This is Shatley's year. His chance. After almost a decade in the background of Jacksonville's offense, he is at the forefront. Now, he is confident he can show why he is deserving of the key role he has earned in 2022.
